The brains behind Grizzly Bear's visual identity: Graphic Designer Ben Tousley

Twenty-two-year-old Ben Tousley is an IU student from Zionsville, Ind., but he’s also the go-to (art) guy for indie rock darlings Grizzly Bear.

Q: When did you first know you were an artist?

A: I was really into journalism in high school. I was the editor of our school magazine, and we were in charge of designing our sections as well. And as much as I was obsessed with journalism, I realized that what I really enjoyed doing was designing. By the time I got to IU, I knew I really wanted to design. I had a drive for it, and I just started doing design projects.

Q: When did you start producing artwork for Grizzly Bear? How did you meet them?

A: In high school, I started doing projects for myself or for friends. I did the packaging for a friend’s band, and I made a Web site. During my freshman year here at IU – I was 18 – the band was repackaging their first album, “Horn of Plenty,” and that’s when Ed (lead singer) contacted me. They were also recording “Yellow House” and asked if I’d work on it as well.

Since then, I’ve done most of their stuff. Ed, has become a really good friend of mine. I talk to him about every day. Just after I finished that first poster for them, they played here, and it was awesome. Any time they’ve come to Chicago or nearby, I’ve come to see them. But I talk to them all them time.

Q: Had you been a fan before you began to design for them?

A: I used to work at a record store in Indianapolis before college, and we had it on the wall. When Ed had contacted me, I remembered it. I hadn’t heard the music, but Ed sent me songs from “Yellow House” as they were recording, and I know this will sound silly in print, but their stuff totally changed my life.

Q: Could you talk a bit about the creative process for the “Veckatimest” cover? It’s a little different than your previous work with them.

A: During mid-recording of the album, about a year ago, we started working on it. They had a friend William J. O’Brien, and he offered us 60-some drawings that he was doing. We thought they were perfect, and that this was what we were going to use for sure.

After that, it was about making those drawings work with the design and making the design work with the music.

Another artist, Amelia Bauer, redrew everything I laid out because we wanted to have this old, human element to match the drawings, so I would write out on a computer, and she would scan it back in after drawing it. It was a different process, but with Grizzly Bear, they usually have an idea of where they want to go.

Q: Does their music inspire your artwork? If so, what did it sound like to you?

A: It more than inspires me. It completely directs the work. This is what people will see representing their music on the Internet. The album is much more direct, much more matured, much more confident in the way it was written and recorded, and I thought we needed colors and strong typography to reflect that. Whereas with “Yellow House,” it was very dense and very dark, and we wanted the colors and typography to reflect that as well.

I’m a designer more than an artist. A lot of my teachers would probably be upset with me for saying that, but I feel like what I do is a communication in a literal sense. You’re trying to get something across.

Q: What are your plans after you leave Bloomington? Will you continue your work with the band?

A: I decided to stay in Bloomington until December. I’m finishing up classes. After I’m finished, I’d like to go far from Indiana for a while, not because I dislike it, but because I’ve been here my whole life. I definitely want to design in a kind of place that will challenge me.

As for working with the band, I’m not sure. They’re so huge now; I’m surprised they still wanted to work with me. Whether or not we’ll keep working together, I don’t know. But they’re important people in my life. That won’t change.